Migration Museum Shuts Down for Conservation

0:00Adelaide's Migration Museum is shutting down starting July 1st for central conservation work on its 19th century buildings. The South Australian government allocated $6.3 million in this year's budget to fix compliance and structural issues, mainly the heritage stonework. The closure will last one and a half to two years. This comes at a tense time with immigration debates heating up nationwide. A recent poll showed 58% of folks want modest or big cuts to migration levels. Meanwhile, the Liberal Party dropped a plan to tighten standards and prioritize Australian values. History Trust CEO Justin Jo Kim, who moved here from Poland in 2018, stresses how migrants shape the state's past and future. She points out the museum's spot next to the center of democracy shows multiculturalism's role in democracy. The site opened in 1986 to share migration stories through exhibits and programs. That same complex has a heavy backstory.

1:00It was a native school in the 1840s, where Aboriginal kids were taken from families, then A, destitute asylum for the poor, infirm, and others until 1917. During the shutdown, expect community engagement on the museum's future, while other history trust sites stay open. Right now, South Australia's History Festival is underway through May 31, with over 550 events on the theme of connections. Keeping those stories alive across 16 regions. This has been Adelaide News Today, powered by AI. I'm Corey with the story.